The Hollister Ranch

The Hollister Ranch is on of the most private stretches of unspoiled coastlines still left to enjoy like it was over 40 years ago. The Ranch is a 14,000 plus acre coastal ranch just inside of Point Conception, the major point that separates Southern California from Central California. The Ranch is approximately half an hour west of the Santa Barbara area on the scenic Gaviota coast and is one of the most unique rural residential areas on the entire west coast of the north America.

The Ranch consists of 136, 100-acre parcels with 8.5 miles of totally private, commonly owned undisturbed beaches. There are three beach cabanas set up for the owners day use activities. They are perfect for picnics or BBQ’s and just cleaning up after a day on the beach since they have showers, BBQ’s, and lawn areas to relax on.

Making it perfect facilities for day use, entertaining, or special parties. There are four access roads down to the beach at the cabanas that owners can drive on the beach. This is a rare opportunity to have your car right on the sand where you will be hanging out on the beach for the day. This is a privilege with the association and the rules ensure that the beach and the wildlife are preserved.

The Hollister Ranch is the most unspoiled stretch of coastline in all of Southern California. Still today, it remains the way California used to be, with rolling grasslands, beautiful costal headlands and points, oak covered canyons, tall sandstone ridges, flowing creeks, ocean views of the Channel Islands, and pristine natural beaches. Warm, dry offshore winds blow off Point Conception and out to sea keeping the fog away and making clearer, sunnier weather.

The Hollister Ranch is more than a place to escape from the frantic pace of today’s society. It is a place where peace of mind and satisfaction is found in the raw beauty and serene atmosphere. People who appreciate the Ranch do so because they understand how valuable it is to have a costal area with large parcels and private access that is still protected from today’s crowded world. Many owners are living full time on the Ranch or using it as a second home getaway. In today’s modern world it is possible to be in a rural environment and still be connected with the uses of satellite dishes for computer, telephone and television service. Many of the residences are totally off the grid using state of the art solar energy systems and propane gas to have all the modern living convinces.

The Hollister Ranch Owners Association handles the Ranch’s day-to-day business. There is a 24-hour security force and gate to maintain the privacy of this coast. A Board of Directors and the existing CC&R’s run the Association for the Ranch. Preserving the Ranch’s special environment and its privacy is the common goal for the Association and its owners. To maintain and protect this special area, the public is not allowed except for set up educational tours for school children and nature groups.

The Ranch is in the county of Santa Barbara’s agricultural preserve, which keeps the property taxes low through the Williamson Act, approximately $400 per year for undeveloped parcels. The agricultural preserve zoning allows the owners of each 100-acre parcel to build one main residence, a guesthouse, barns, and additional employee housing where county agricultural requirements are met.

The zoning is AG II-320 acres, so the parcels are limited to their 100 acre size and cannot be subdivided. Each 100 acre parcel has the rights to have three unrelated owners or families per parcel share in the ownership of each property. On the Ranch there is strict rules on no hunting or motorcycles in order to maintain the pristine quite, peace and safety of the protected wildlife which still thrives today all over the Ranch.

All the 100-acre parcels are different. There is the beach frontage parcels with their expansive ocean views and proximity to the ocean. The mid section with their rolling grasslands and costal foothills and the back parcels with their sandstone rock formation and majestic oak tree forests. in private and removed canyons. Almost all parcels have beautiful ocean view building sites or protected wooded canyons sites. Most parcels do not have paved access, and not all parcels have electricity and telephone. All parcels have their own existing water well, which vary in quality and quantity from parcel to parcel. Owners of the Hollister Ranch parcels are members of the Hollister Ranch Owner’s Association (HROA).

Monthly HROA dues are approximately $1100 per 100-acre parcel. This assessment covers the maintenance of all the common areas which include the beaches, common roads throughout the Ranch, Association parcels, the beach cabanas, management costs, security, insurances, extra ordinary assessments for repairs and special assessments and the general management of the Ranch.

The 100 acre parcels are very rare to come on the market for sale. What is more available are the 1/3rd and 50% interests in 100 acre parcels. Depending on the location, topography, and building sites the undeveloped 100-acre parcels could start around $2,000,000 and up. One-third interests start at $750,000 and could sell up to $1,500,000 depending upon what building rights are involved. Most of the parcel sales done at the Ranch are purchased with Buyers making cash purchases. There are a few select lenders that will finance full parcels and even a couple that finance the 1/3rd tenants in common interests if they meet that lenders qualifications. Sellers sometimes will carry back some secondary financing secured by the parcel. If so, the owners financing is usually for a two to five year period at an interest rate of 8% to 10%.

Construction financing can be available for 100% ownership of a parcel. Most buyers of an undivided interest either build their improvement with cash out of pocket or they will borrow against another asset, such as another property they may own.

The Hollister Ranch remains today as the ultimate costal get away for people wanting to enjoy a piece of the California coast the way it used to be, undeveloped, natural, and uncrowded. Over the years the Ranch has changed but in many ways it has become a better residential community where smartly designed homes are scattered in and tucked away in the landscape and natural settings of the Ranch. Still today it has that feeling of the wide open spaces and expansiveness of a large cattle ranch. The Ranch has grown into a place where owners can live a lifestyle that is hard to duplicate in one of the most special and protected environments found anywhere.